A webinar is an online seminar designed to educate the audience about a specific topic. Webinars are relatively inexpensive, and at Springboard PR & Marketing, we think they are an effective tool to reach a broad audience and generate leads if you have the know-how.

If conducted well, webinars can help to raise your own profile and that of your company, enabling you to become an authority in your area and increase blogging traffic.

What should I use a webinar for?

Remember that audiences at a webinar expect to be given new and interesting information. Choose your topic well and create an eye-catching headline that will reel them in.

You can use webinars to:

• Show off a new feature
• Host a tutorial
• Invite a guest speaker
• Show a new product
• Offer tips and advice

What can I do?

On average you may host a webinar for 30-45 minutes. This can include:

• A 5 minute introduction
• A 25 minute presentation
• A 10 minute Q&A session

How do I host a Webinar?

Websites such as GoToWebinar are always a favourite for hosting webinars.

Alternatively, you may choose to use Google Hangouts on Air, (please note that you will have to verify your account by SMS if you wish to broadcast for longer than 15 minutes).

You can create an event on Hangout on Air and it will allow you to live stream your webinar from YouTube.

Top Tip:

Many companies use webinars to engage with audiences abroad. If you choose to use webinars for this purpose, be aware of respective time zones. Your audience may be asleep when you are awake.

How can I encourage sign-up?

Springboard recommends creating a specific landing page for your webinar. This is a perfect lead-capture page which can be used in the future. The landing page should contain key details about the webinar including date and time. It should ask for the person’s name and email in order to sign up for the seminar.

Google’s URL builder can help you create a number of different links for landing pages from each different source. This may allow you to verify which source most of your participants came from in the post analysis.

How can I create awareness?

• Prior to the webinar, you should inform your current audience about the event through social media. Push out the webinar information and registration page URL on Facebook and Twitter. You may even decide to create a specific Facebook event/ad and Google ad. Don’t forget to create a hashtag for the event.

• Create a blog on some previewed content from the seminar which may also be shared on Twitter and Facebook.

• You may choose to include information about the upcoming seminar in your monthly newsletter as well as in email reminders prior to the event.

• One week prior to the event create a 60 second ‘teaser’ video outlining what topics will be covered in the webinar, or, answering a select number of preliminary questions etc.

• At Springboard, we advise clients to ask all guests/interviewees to share it on their social media. Don’t forget to tag people involved and share a post, inviting people to register on LinkedIn.

So now you have the tools you need to create your very first webinar. Visit Springboard PR and Marketing’s blog next Tuesday to find out how to host your live-stream to perfection and maximise on the rich video content you create. In the meantime, discover our top tips for email marketing HERE.

Post by Susie Horgan

Susie founded Springboard in 2011, and has developed the business into a leading, director-led communications agency. She has worked for over 20 years in senior marketing and public relations roles.